Apparatus for plugging wells



LGELMQ June 7, 1927.

M. M. KINLEY APPARATUS FOR PLUGGING wELLs led June 4. 1926 A TTORNE YPatented' `June 7, 1927.

. UNITEB APPARATUS non newsemewnLLs.

Application led June 4,

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for plugging wells andhas tor its principal object to shut off the flow ot water to a wellfrom which production is to'be n soughtt'rom sands'above the waterflowing stratum.

In some instances wells which have been drilled through oil bearingsands into water strata or into oil strata which have gone to 1o waterafter producing periods, are plugged to shut ott` the water from thelower levels and permit production from the upper sands.

As such plugging must be effected'. at a depth of from a few .hundred toseveral thousand feet, and Within a hole of but a few inches indiameter, itis diiicult if not impossible to accurately determine theexact point Where the plug shouldbe located, and to then locate and sealthe plug in the well.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of my invention to provide a plugwhich may be easily and accuratel located in a well and which, whenlocate may be sealed to the wall of the well in a manner to effectivelyprevent flow ofwater to the portion of the well above the plug.'

4It is also an object of my invention uitprovide a method and apparatuswhich will not require reinstallation of heavy reeling equipment for itsoperation but which may e employed with a portable reel immediately uponremoval of the rods and pump.

In accomplishing these obects I employ the method and apparatusereinafter de-4 scribed by reference to the accompanyin drawings,wherein a preferred form o structure is illustrated arid wherein Fig. 1is a vertical section of an oil wel] within which a plugging apparatuscon@ structed according to my invention is being lowered;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofthe lower, uncased portion of a well,showing water and gas bearing sands, and showing the plugging apparatusbroken away for bett/er illustration.

Fig. 3 is a view of the well as it appears when plugged.

50 liter'erring more in detail to the drawings:

1 desi etes a well hole which has been vdrilled rough earth 2 (Fig. 1)and oil bearing sand 3, into water sand 4 Figs.2 vand 3 the upperportion of the we l being provi ed with the usual casing 5. 6 designatesa container, preferably of the greatest 1926. seriai Na. 113,712.

possible diameter that will permit it to pass ATET OFFICE! through thewell hole without stoppage, so

that the least possible expansion of the container -will carry it intocontact with the vwall of the well, and of the lightest practicablegauge of sheet metal, so that the wall of the container may becompletely disrupted under the conditions presently stated.

Located within and forming the bottom pfthe container 6 is a plug 7 ofexpansible and non-corrodible material, preferably lead, having anupwardly-opening chamber or pocket 8 of a size to contain suflicient exyplosive for expanding the plug against the walland disrupting thecontainer to' sever it so that the upper portion may be removed from thewell. The `chamber or pocket 8v is filled with explosive material 9 andembedded in said material is a fulminating cap 10. Connected with the`cap 10 y is a circuit wire 11, the mate 12 of which `is" grounded onthe' container 6; the two wires being extended through the container asacord 13, which is attached to the bale 14 and serves as a cable forletting in the container. V The cord 13 may vbe-run over the usualpulleys and' connected to the usual winding drums (not shown) and thecircuit wires 4may be connected with -the usual battery through the`usual switch, none of which latter parts are illustrated, as they may beof forms employed in ordinary practice,'and their detail structures formno part of the present invention.

Filling the container aboutthe plug 7 is a quantit of cement 15,preferably in -neat mixture orm, andsuspended from the container,preferably in a burlap bag 16` and by abale 17 partly embedded in the`lead plug, is la mass of fibrous packing materia preferably oakum.'

Assuming that the point for location of the plug has been ascertainedfrom the log of the well, and that the apparatus has been constructedand assemble' a's described, plugging of the well-is effected asfollows:

The container is let into the well to the proper point and heldsuspended while the charge of explosive is fulminated by closing thebattery circuit through the switch.

When the charge is exploded, it expands thevblowing the upper portionsot the container up into the well hole and freeing the cement so thatthe latter ows out into the well and settles onto the plug in a masswhich, when set, forms a seal supplementing that of the lead plug inpreventing flow of water from the water sands into the well.

With vthe plug set as described, accumulation of water pressure beneaththe plug forces the oakum up into crevices about the plug to seal anyopening that may be occasioned by irregularities 1n the surface of the'plug or wall of the well..'

The upper portion of the containerinay be removed fronrthe well with theletting in and fulmi/nating cord to leave ythe well free for theinstallation of pumps.

What I claim and desire to secure by -Letters Patent is:

. 1. Apparatus for plugging wells comprising a rupturable container,` aplug of expansible material in the lowerportion of the containerproviding an upper space for sealing material and having a chamber forcontaining a charge of exp1osive,and fulminating means comprising a caplocated in said chamber. v l

2. Inapparatus foriplugging wells, a container, a plugof expansiblematerial at the bottom of the container having a chamber for containing`afjcharge of explosive, the

container extending beyond the plug to retaln a quantity of sealingmaterial, .and means for fulminating a charge of explosive in the plugchamber.

3. In an apparatus for plugging wells, a container, a plug of expansiblematerial at the bottom of the container having a chamber for containinga charge of explosive, the container extending beyond the plug to retaina quantity of sealing material, a fulminating cap in the explosivechamber, and means for letting in the container comprising wires havingcircuit connection with said cap.

4. In an apparatus for plugging Wells, a

container, a plug ofexpansible material at the bottom of the containerhaving a chamber for containing a charge of explosive, the containerextending beyond the plug to retain aV quantity of sealing material,'and a

